También Protegidos (Also Protected)
CA: Lisa Kokin, 2006. This is a unique mixed media book collage from noted book artist Lisa Kokin. She is a well known visual artist and book artist who also creates art with sewing and alterations, as well as with button work and assemblage. She also is known for acting as a mentor and coach to people in the arts. Her work is in collections across the U.S. She describes her approach and techniques for creating a book or book object. Her description of her techniques aptly applies to this work. "In my never-ending quest to find different ways to eviscerate books, I stumbled upon the book collage. First I find a book which interests me, either for some element of the text, image, or marginalia, or for the look of the book itself. Sometimes I remove some of the pages and glue and/or sew the book open to the particular page of interest. Other times I remove all the pages and use the inside covers as the collage surface (as she did in this work). I build upon what initially interests me by layering images and text from the same or other books, found photos, and other small objects using a variety of collage and transfer techniques....Many of the books have sculptural protrusions and extensions because I feel that the shape of books shouldn't be limited to a rectangle. I am particularly attracted to the lowest of literary life forms, the Discarded Library Book. My favorites have "DISCARD" stamped on the inside front covers"
Kokin's statement about this piece reads: "Made from a discarded citizenship handbook, this book is even more relevant today than it was when I made it in 2006. The empty silhouettes of children speak to the criminalization of undocumented immigrants, an alarming human rights violation. Sometimes I wish that my work from decades past would stop being so relevant."
This hanging artwork / book art object is mounted on a permanently open citizenship book. Sections of the original text have been scraped away or covered over with tape and twine. A panel of cut-out silhouettes of children and an image of a double apron fence (as one might see at a prison) has been mounted on top of the flattened book. The original book covers are visible on the back of the piece with a library label on the spine. A wooden block with wire for hanging are mounted on the rear of the piece. A library card pocket with the heads of children who have had their faces erased hangs by a knotted string. The title typed on the library pocket is: U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Our American Way of Life. Book 1. Rev. 1971. A haunting production from this book artist. In fine condition. Measures 19 x 17 x .5 inches. ARTB042525. Fine.
Item #37899
Price: $1,800.00